How our packages work
Every Femme5 package is a fixed price for the work we do to bring a helper into your home: finding and screening her, housing and moving her before deployment, her medical check-up, the MOM Work Permit and our service. The price depends on two things: her nationality, and whether she is fresh or ex-Singapore.
- Fresh means she has not worked in Singapore before. For Indonesian, Filipino and Mizoram helpers, fresh also includes helpers with experience abroad, for example in Hong Kong, Taiwan or the Middle East, but not in Singapore.
- Ex-Singapore means she has worked in Singapore before and is coming back from her home country. She already knows how homes here run, so she does not need the Settling-in Programme.
- Transfer means she is in Singapore now and moving from her current employer to you. There is no overseas recruitment, so the package is different. See our transfer maid page.
Three things are always paid separately: insurance with a security bond protector, the Settling-in Programme for first-time helpers, and her placement fee or loan. Each package table below shows these too, so you can see the full amount before you decide.
Indonesian maid package
| Package includes | Fresh (incl. ex-abroad) | Ex-Singapore |
|---|---|---|
| Singapore and overseas pre-deployment lodging and transport | $750 | $750 |
| Sourcing and recruitment | $600 | $600 |
| Medical check-up (excludes measles jab) | $135 | $135 |
| MOM Work Permit application and issuance | $70 | $70 |
| Service fee (50% refundable) | $400 | $600 |
| Delivery to your home and orientation | Included | Included |
| Package price | $1,955 | $2,155 |
| Paid separately | ||
| Settling-in Programme (first-time helpers only) | $120 | Not needed |
| Insurance with security bond protector (Enhanced) | $611.40 | $611.40 |
| Placement fee / loan | $3,800 to $4,200 (5 to 7 months of her basic salary) | $3,800 to $4,200 (5 to 7 months of her basic salary) |
| Typical monthly salary | $550 to $650 | $650 to $750 |
Indonesian helpers usually speak Bahasa Indonesia, which is close to Malay. The placement loan for an Indonesian helper is usually 5 to 7 months of her basic salary, which works out at $3,800 to $4,200. Read more on our Indonesian maid agency page.
Filipino maid package
| Package includes | Fresh (incl. ex-abroad) | Ex-Singapore |
|---|---|---|
| Singapore and overseas pre-deployment lodging and transport | $950 | $950 |
| Sourcing and recruitment | $800 | $900 |
| Medical check-up (excludes measles jab) | $135 | $135 |
| MOM Work Permit application and issuance | $70 | $70 |
| Service fee (50% refundable) | $700 | $800 |
| Delivery to your home and orientation | Included | Included |
| Package price | $2,655 | $2,855 |
| Paid separately | ||
| Settling-in Programme (first-time helpers only) | $120 | Not needed |
| Insurance with security bond protector (Enhanced) | $611.40 | $611.40 |
| POEA (Philippine overseas employment) processing | $300 | $300 |
| Air ticket | As per receipt | As per receipt |
| Typical monthly salary | $650 | $700 to $750 |
Filipino helpers are often comfortable with English. There is no placement loan in the Filipino package. Instead, you pay the POEA processing charge of $300 and her air ticket at cost, as per the receipt. Read more on our Filipino maid agency page.
Myanmar maid package
| Package includes | Fresh | Ex-Singapore |
|---|---|---|
| Singapore and overseas pre-deployment lodging and transport | $750 | $750 |
| Sourcing and recruitment | $600 | $600 |
| Medical check-up (excludes measles jab) | $135 | $135 |
| MOM Work Permit application and issuance | $70 | $70 |
| Service fee (50% refundable) | $200 | $400 |
| Delivery to your home and orientation | Included | Included |
| Package price | $1,755 | $1,955 |
| Paid separately | ||
| Settling-in Programme (first-time helpers only) | $120 | Not needed |
| Insurance with security bond protector (Enhanced) | $611.40 | $611.40 |
| Placement fee / loan | $3,500 to $4,000 (5 to 7 months of her basic salary) | $3,500 to $4,000 (5 to 7 months of her basic salary) |
| Typical monthly salary | $500 to $550 | $550 to $700 |
Myanmar helpers usually speak Burmese as their first language, and many have some English. Her placement loan is usually 5 to 7 months of her basic salary, or $3,500 to $4,000. Read more on our Myanmar maid agency page.
Mizoram helper package
| Package includes | Fresh (incl. ex-abroad) | Ex-Singapore |
|---|---|---|
| Singapore and overseas pre-deployment lodging and transport | $750 | $750 |
| Sourcing and recruitment | $600 | $600 |
| Medical check-up (excludes measles jab) | $135 | $135 |
| MOM Work Permit application and issuance | $70 | $70 |
| Service fee (50% refundable) | $300 | $500 |
| Delivery to your home and orientation | Included | Included |
| Package price | $1,855 | $2,055 |
| Paid separately | ||
| Settling-in Programme (first-time helpers only) | $120 | Not needed |
| Insurance with security bond protector (Enhanced) | $611.40 | $611.40 |
| Placement fee / loan | $3,000 to $3,900 (4 to 6 months of her basic salary) | $3,000 to $3,900 (4 to 6 months of her basic salary) |
| Typical monthly salary | $520 to $580 | $580 to $700 |
Mizoram helpers come from north-east India, and many speak English. Their placement loan is usually shorter, at 4 to 6 months of her basic salary, or $3,000 to $3,900. Read more on our Mizoram helper page.
Transfer maid package
| Package includes | Transfer maid |
|---|---|
| Transport and miscellaneous | $200 |
| Sourcing and recruitment | $885 |
| MOM Work Permit application and issuance | $70 |
| Service fee (50% refundable) | $700 |
| Delivery to your home and orientation | Included |
| Package price | $1,855 |
| Paid separately | |
| Insurance with security bond protector (Enhanced) | $611.40 |
| Placement fee / loan | $600 to $1,800 (1 to 2 months of her basic salary) |
| Typical monthly salary | Indonesian $650 to $800 · Filipino $700 to $900 · Myanmar $600 to $750 · Mizoram $600 to $750 |
A transfer helper is already in Singapore, so there is no overseas lodging, medical check-up abroad or flight to arrange, and no Settling-in Programme. Her placement fee is usually 1 to 2 months of her basic salary, or $600 to $1,800, and salaries for transfer helpers tend to be higher because they already have Singapore experience. Our guide to the maid agency transfer fee explains how transfers are charged.
What each part of the package covers
- Pre-deployment lodging and transport: her accommodation and travel in her home country and in Singapore while her papers are processed, before she starts with you.
- Sourcing and recruitment: finding candidates who fit your household, screening them, sharing profiles and arranging interviews in person or by video.
- Medical check-up: the medical examination she needs for her Work Permit, at $135. A measles jab, if she needs one, is extra.
- MOM Work Permit application and issuance: the $35 application fee and $35 issuance fee set by MOM.
- Service fee: our fee for the placement. Half of it is refundable under MOM’s rules if her employment ends within the first 6 months, as explained in our terms below.
- Delivery and orientation: we bring her to your home and walk you both through her duties and house rules. This is free.
What you pay separately
Insurance with security bond protector
Every employer must buy medical insurance and personal accident insurance for their helper and put up a $5,000 security bond, usually as an insurer’s guarantee. We arrange an Enhanced insurance plan that includes a security bond protector for $611.40. It is paid at handover.
Settling-in Programme (SIP)
MOM requires every first-time helper to attend the 1-day Settling-in Programme within 7 days of arriving, and she can only start work after it. We book it and take her there for $120. Ex-Singapore and transfer helpers do not need it.
Placement fee or loan
Most helpers borrow to cover the cost of their recruitment and training at home. You pay this placement loan to us at handover, and it is then recovered from her salary over her first months, through deductions she agrees to in writing. The exact amount varies with each helper, so ask us for her figure before you decide.
When and how you pay
| What | Amount | When |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Package | As per your package | When you confirm your helper |
| 2. Insurance and Settling-in Programme | $731.40 ($611.40 without the SIP) | At handover |
| 3. Placement fee / loan | Depends on nationality and helper | At handover |
Payment is by bank transfer or PayNow to our UEN.
As an example, a fresh Indonesian helper would cost $1,955 when you confirm her, then $731.40 for insurance and the SIP at handover, plus her placement loan of $3,800 to $4,200. That makes $6,486.40 to $6,886.40 in total before her first month’s salary.
For a transfer helper, it would be $1,855 on confirmation, then $611.40 for insurance and her placement fee of $600 to $1,800 at handover, or $3,066.40 to $4,266.40 in total.
Government costs on top of the package
Once she starts, you also pay the monthly foreign domestic worker levy to MOM: $300 for your first helper, $450 for each additional helper, or $60 at the concessionary rate if your household qualifies, for example with a Singapore citizen child below 16 or an elderly person aged 67 or above. See our maid levy guide for the details, and our full breakdown of what it costs to hire a maid for a monthly budget.
You also need to give her proper accommodation, food and rest days, and pay her salary in full within 7 days of the end of each salary period. If you are new to hiring, you must attend the Employers’ Orientation Programme before applying for her Work Permit.
Replacement and refund terms
- You are entitled to 1 replacement within 6 months at $0 service fee, provided your current helper is transferred back to us. For the replacement you pay the MOM application and issuance fees, insurance and security bond, and her placement fee or loan. This applies to the same package only.
- If you choose to end your contract with us instead, we refund 50% of the service fee, as MOM requires when a helper’s employment ends within the first 6 months (MOM’s conditions apply). No replacement is given in that case.
- A package quote is valid for 7 days. Prices are based on current costs and may change with regulations, rules and policies.
MOM’s own page on the refund of employment agency service fees sets out when the refund applies and which costs it does not cover, such as Work Permit fees, medicals and the helper’s placement loan.
Ad-hoc services
Some help is charged only when you need it. These are our current rates for services outside the package.
| Service | Charge |
|---|---|
| Emergency pick-up | $250 per trip |
| Midnight pick-up | $350 per trip |
| Counselling (first session free) | $180 per session, up to 2 hours |
| Holiday helper | $50 per day |
| Sending your ex-helper to the airport | $200 per trip |
| Basic transport | $80 per trip |
| Airport transfer | $150 per trip |
| Settling-in Programme with transport | $120 per trip |
| Employee onboarding programme guide | $150 per session |
| Medical check-up for measles | $80 per trip, plus $65 per jab |
| Work Permit renewal | $180 per set |
| Transfer of name | $600 per set, excluding insurance |
| Work Permit application and issuance | $70 per set |
We also run a boarding house for helpers and offer helper transport for airport runs, medicals and embassy visits.
Comparing agency fees
When you compare agencies, compare the full amount, not just the headline package. Ask what is included, whether insurance and the SIP are extra, how big the placement loan is, and what happens if the placement does not work out. Our guide to maid agency fees in Singapore lists the questions to ask any agency.
If you would like a quote for a particular helper, or want to talk through which package suits your home, get in touch with the Femme5 team. We reply within one working day.